Losing To Much Work Due To Migraines? You May Have Oxidated Stress

4 August 2018
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Approximately 14% of the world's population suffers from migraines. Migraines can be debilitating. In fact, Americans lose 113 million days of work productivity due to migraines. Migraines typically last anywhere from four to 72 hours. Some people have migraines several times a week, which can severely affect their productivity in the workplace. If you suffer from migraines regularly and are in fear of losing your job because of it, there is new research that may help. Here's what you need to know. 

Free Radicals & Oxidative Stress 

The human body creates free radicals all the time. Free radicals are good because they stimulate repair at the molecular level, but only to an extent. When there are too many free radicals in the body, it causes oxidative stress. Free radicals are molecules, ions, or atoms that have an odd number of electrons. The odd-one-out is, therefore, unable to pair itself with another electron.

When this happens, those odd electrons pair up with electrons from other molecules, which is called oxidation. Oxidation alters those molecules and causes damage, especially when it happens on a regular basis. There's no doubt that you've heard of anti-oxidants? Anti-oxidants are used to combat the overabundance of free radicals so oxidation and, therefore, oxidative stress do not occur. 

Oxidative Stress & Migraines 

Research shows a connection between oxidative stress and migraines. Certain triggers, such as stress, sleep disturbances, dehydration, diet, and air pollution, increases the imbalance of free radicals, which in turn increases oxidative stress. What this means, according to research, is that migraines may be a defense mechanism against oxidative stress. Therefore, instead of taking pain relievers and shutting yourself in a dark, quiet room while you suffer from migraines, it would be beneficial for you to combat the oxidative stress your body experiences.

Tests & Treatments 

The first thing to do is to have testing done to see how much free radical activity there is in your body, which can help your medical team develop a treatment plan specifically for you. Treatment plans for oxidative stress and migraines typically include anti-oxidants, diet changes, exercise, meditation, and chiropractic care. Chiropractic care helps increase the presence of an antioxidant that your body naturally produces. 

Also, lifestyle changes can be extremely beneficial to reduce those free radicals that are causing your migraines. Start using non-toxic personal care products and cleaning products to reduce the amount of environmental chemical exposures that increase the free radicals that lead to oxidative stress. 

Contact a clinic, like Stroud Chiropractic Clinic, for more help.